The Los Angeles Lakers have been at the center of this year’s off-season discussion due to their prospect of acquiring Bronny James. However, in a turn of events, the Lakers chose to use their 17th pick on Tennessee Volunteers star, Dalton Knecht. The 23-year-old was confident that the Purple and Gold wouldn’t regret their decision to draft him, even proclaiming himself to be much watch TV.
Advertisement
During his post-draft sit down with Spectrum SportsNet, the Lakers rookie was asked to describe his play style and what Lakers fans should expect of him in the coming seasons. Answering the question, Knecht said,
“I’d describe myself as an electric player and fun to watch. I’d say that. We’re going to have a real fun time in L.A., and the rest of the season is going to be fun.”
"It's a blessing and a dream come true." Dalton Knecht joined us in the studio to talk about his excitement to join the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/CS9mRCZyeQ
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) June 27, 2024
The former SEC Player of The Year recipient even shouted out his Lakers teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Tennessee star also confessed to being excited to play alongside the Hall Of Fame duo, describing it as a dream come true for him and his family.
Knecht’s emotional response and excitement make sense, considering it took the 23-year-old over five years of grinding through each level of college ball to get his name called by the Lakers last night. Moving forward, the franchise could definitely benefit from Knecht as the 6ft 6″ wing is already NBA-ready.
How will Dalton Knecht fit in his new home?
It rarely happens that someone of Dalton Knecht caliber falls to the 17th spot in the draft. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka believed in him and decided to pull the trigger on Knecht. After the draft, Pelinka expressed his shock over getting an SEC Player Of The Year recipient this late in the draft.
The 54-year-old executive was happy with his draft night proceeds, even if Bronny James couldn’t materialize as a real option in the first round.
In college, Knecht averaged 21.7 points on 49.9% shooting (39.7% from three-point line) in his lone season with the Volunteers. He began his collegiate career at Northeastern Junior College in Colorado. And just last March, he led Tennessee to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, scoring 37 points in an elimination loss to No. 1-seeded Purdue.
Moving forward, the Lakers will be getting a 6ft 6″ wing that can play both sides of the ball. And while his presence is always felt on offense, his real contribution to the Lakers will be his lock-down defense. And if the Lakers end up parting ways with James, Knecht can fill in the gaps by playing small forward and shooting guard in rotation, as AD handles things down low.
